Posts Tagged ‘Art’

For artist Chester Arnold, painting is as much about politics and social responsibility as it is about crafting luscious large-scale oil paintings in the tradition of nineteenth-century European artists. With sometimes dark humor, the paintings in Chester Arnold: On Earth as It Is in Heaven opening August 14 at the Nevada Museum of Art, asks viewers to consider the impacts of human and industrial consumption, accumulation, and waste on the natural environment.

Since he began painting over three decades ago, West Coast-based artist Arnold has cleverly confronted a range of challenging subjects. Concerned about the increasing impact of human interventions on landscapes in a densely populated and deeply consumer-driven world, Arnold’s work questions the nature of human beings’ relationship to the landscape, offering cautionary warnings about society’s unbridled cycles of production and consumption on an industrial scale.

“My paintings are a big conversation I’m having with the world,” Arnold says of the richly-painted canvases spanning his thirty year career. Many of the paintings in the exhibition are based loosely on real environmental scenarios, such as the monumental canyon of discarded automobile tires that populates Arnold’s Entropic Landscape—a real larger-than-life discarded tire pile exists in California’s Central Valley. Arnold’s images of deforestation and tree harvesting in paintings such as Histories (2010) are not unlike the paintings of similar despoiled landscapes painted by nineteenth century American artists working long before him. And Arnold has also made three paintings of large-scale strip mines, including Holding Pond (1996) seen from an aerial view. The sublime terraced canyons are punctuated by smoky canyons and smoldering fires with holding ponds that contain mineral-rich, blood-red or copper-green drainage run-off that has been left behind by the mining process. Arnold’s depictions of such altered landscapes bring the consequences of human progress to the attention of viewers.

“The pieces in this exhibition engage with issues of work and labor, nature and environment, industrial production and consumption, and the amassing and disposal of consumer products,” says Ann M. Wolfe, Curator and Exhibitions and Collections, Nevada Museum of Art. “The works are both cautionary and confessional, revealing human foibles and follies and what Arnold considers to be their devastating consequences. Arnold’s landscape paintings also ask viewers to consider how human activities—of both the individual and large-scale industries—impact the landscape.”

Also featured in the exhibition is a series of paintings Arnold calls Accumulations, which reveal the ongoing cycle of consumption and disposal resulting from mass production. First created during the late 1990s, a time in American history noted for its booming economic prosperity, Arnold navigates America’s seeming disregard for accumulating and discarding mass-produced merchandise.

Underlying Arnold’s critiques of America’s consumer culture is an implicit acknowledgment of the economic engine driving mass production. Many of Arnold’s paintings allude to corporate business culture and the resources required to keep offices running throughout the country. The Business in America is Business (2008) and Means of Communication (2008) both depict streets littered with discarded office correspondence, perhaps cast from the skyscrapers of urban financial districts during past ticker-tape parades. It is especially ironic that the global financial services firm Lehman Brothers acquired one of Arnold’s paper accumulation paintings, Means of Communication (2008), for its corporate art collection not long before the company declared bankruptcy in 2008—the largest U.S. bankruptcy filing in history.

“Arnold’s works ask viewers to consider how one’s individual behaviors interface with ongoing cycles of industrial production and consumption,” says Ann M. Wolfe, Curator of Exhibitions and Collections, Nevada Museum of Art. “They ask us to acknowledge and celebrate hard work, but to consider the irrevocable consequences of our labors.”

In conjunction with the exhibition, a special dialogue between San Francisco Chronicle Art Critic Kenneth Baker and artist Chester Arnold takes place Saturday, September 11 from 5:30 to 8 pm. Join Baker and Arnold as they discuss Arnold’s work on display in the Feature Gallery. A reception following dialogue is included in the ticket price. Cost: $15/$12 Museum Members; $18 at the door.

Chester Arnold: On Earth as It Is in Heaven is presented at the Nevada Museum of Art from August 14 through October 17, 2010 as part of the Museum’s wide-ranging Art + Environment Series, which provides timely, engaging, and rewarding educational opportunities for artists, scholars, and communities to engage with ideas pertinent to the intersections of art and environments. In 2009, the Museum launched the Centerfor Art + Environment, an international initiative that supports the practice, study, and awareness of creative interactions between people and the natural, built, and virtual environments. A book, published in conjunction with the exhibition, will be available in the Museum Store featuring essays by Ann M. Wolfe, Curator of Exhibitions and Collections and Colin M. Robertson, Curator of Education.

The weather is finally heating up and as is customary for this time of year in our neck of the woods – there is never a dull moment in Reno Tahoe USA. We’re helping you plan your weekend with a long list of fabulously funky events in our region. If you’re bored this weekend, it’s your own fault! Get outside and smell the sunshine! (Free attractions are highlighted by an asterisk.)

THURSDAY

*Sparks Hometown Farmers Market

Thursday, June 10, officially kicks off the farmers market at Victorian Square in Sparks, Nevada. Buy fresh and local at the weekly summertime celebration of good grub and family fun that runs through August 19. The markets features more than 100 vendors offering fresh-picked pro­duce, breads, pastries and gourmet foods, plus cooking demon­strations, live entertainment and unique items for the home and garden. The Farmers Market is held on Thursday evenings from 4–9 p.m. at Victorian Square in Sparks. Call 775-353-2291 for details or visit the City of Sparks’ Web site.

Octanefest

Head to Fallon, Nevada this weekend for a four-day powerhouse jamboree otherwise known as Octanefest that kicks off Thursday, June 10. The weekend will be packed with Rock Crawling, Arena Rock Racing, Mud Drags, Truck & Tractor Pulls, Tuff-Cross (Arena Enduro Racing), Motocross, Tuff-Truck and topped off with Grand Marshal Jeff Ward, Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Johnson and other amazing drivers behind the wheels of SuperLite trucks that will catch huge air on the custom built track. The racing action is just a start to the weekend. There will be music, a vendor show, a show and shine and a motorsports swap meet. This is event is sure to be fun for the entire family.

*Budget Friendly Cool Down for the Kids

Thursday, June 10, the Melio Gaspari Water Play Park at 7100 Pyramid Lake Highway, in Spanish Spring’s Lazy 5 Regional Park opens. For only $3, the little ones can cool off in the water play park that’s open five days a week through Sunday, August 29. Features include a giant sunflower sprinkler, spilling buckets, “spitting” horses, a water tower, and other cool stuff out of the Old West. Covered pavilions may be reserved for birthdays and other special events. Daily admission is $3 or it’s FREE for children under 3. Call (775) 424-1804 for more information. For more family ideas, click here.

FRIDAY

Carson City Rendezvous

This Friday through Sunday experience a Civil War reenactments, cowboy stunt shows, camel rides, a blacksmithing competition and live music, arts and crafts at the Carson City Rendezvous.

*Nevada Museum of Art: Free Admission!

The second Saturday of each month enjoy FREE admission to the state’s only accredited art museum! Check out the spectacular exhibits on display right now, including Fernando Botero’s Baroque World or The Human Touch. Afterward, treat yourself to a delicious lunch at the museum’s Café Musée.

SATURDAY

*Free Fishing Day!

Nevada’s annual Free Fishing Day will be Saturday, June 12. Anglers may fish in any public fishing water in the state without needing a fishing license or trout stamp. All limits and other regulations apply.

Once again, the Sparks Rotary Club, Nevada Department of Wildlife and the City of Sparks Parks and Recreation Department have joined forces to offer a special community event for the area’s children. Kids will enjoy a fun-filled morning of fishing along the south shore of the Sparks Marina from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Commemorative t-shirts and fishing poles will be distributed at the registration area until supplies run out. There will be fun games and face painting for all ages, and a free barbecue lunch will begin at 9 a.m. with hot dogs, soda and ice cream for registered children.

*Western Heritage Festival

Celebrate life in the West at the SparksMuseum’s 2nd Annual Western Heritage Festival on Saturday, June 12th. This free to the public, outdoor event will be held from 2 pm to 7 pm on the grounds surrounding the museum, located on the on the corner of Pyramid Way & Victorian Avenue.

“Never to be forgotten” traditions and skills are highlighted throughout the day in this fun for the whole family event. Cowboy poet Larry Maurice leads the show as master of ceremonies. Virginia City native Rich Elloyan’s western music depicts not only his love for Nevada and songs of the land, but as a he adds a unique perspective on the history of the developing west. Lenny Walker a real life train conductor takes us back to Sparks founding singing songs of Railroad lore.

Youngsters get into the spirit with Dummy Roping and leather stamping. Demonstrators will be teaching handmade saddle making, lariat basket art, quilting, spinning, weaving and more. Jewelers and other artists and crafters display their wares while the wild burros and horse bring the county to town.

Go back in time with Azteca Aztlan dancing in colorful costumes, the Little Warriors drumming the Paiute beat and the Reno Promenaders square dancing to John Hall’s call.

As an added bonus, the Museum is currently featuring Ellis Island: The Lost Mural by Andrew Sabori. This 19 panel, 84 foot long mural depicts the role of the immigrant in the development of America. (Regular admission fees apply – Children under 12 are free, Adults $5).

High Tech Treasure Hunt

Spent your Saturday afternoon (June 12) along the shores of Lake Tahoe hunting for more than 100 prizes in the sand. Join hundreds of others as you explore South Lake Tahoe on an exciting high-tech treasure hunt. GPS Receivers and a downloadable Passport Clue Book will guide you to your prizes. Grab a partner (or not – that way you don’t have to share) and your adventure on!

Pirate Pub Crawl

When you’ve finished searching for treasure along the shores of South Tahoe, grab yer matees for the 2010 Pirate Crawl in downtown Reno on June 12th from 5 – 10 p.m. Complete with a Rum Tasting Competition, challenge ye fellow scalliwags to a night of shenanigans dressed in yer finest sea-faring rags. Wooden peg or not, we’ll accept you. Just leave that yapping parrot at home. We’ll have enough yo-ho’ing that night to keep the city awake all night.

Mark Twain’s Wild West Weekend

Take the kiddos to Zephyr Cove to celebrate Mark Twain style, with cherry pie eating contests, chili cook offs and cowboy poetry and music. The event runs from June 12-13 starting at 10 a.m. Saturday morning.

SUNDAY

Reno Film Festival

The 10th Annual Reno Film Festival is celebrating a decade of spectacular talent and renown directors from all over the world. Running from June 13-20, the annual event features a packed schedule of movie screenings, parties, discussion groups and Q&A sessions. This year, Pilar Alessandra is the keynote speaker. Alessandra is the director of the Los Angeles writing program and has worked as a senior story analyst for Dream Works and Radar Pictures. Don’t miss this opportunity to rub elbows with some truly talented folk.

The Nevada Museum of Art presents an ambitious exhibition boasting over 100 paintings and thousands of pounds of bronze sculptures, through the unforgettable works of Colombian painter, sculptor, and draftsman Fernando Botero in The Baroque World of Fernando Botero.

Drawn exclusively from Botero’s personal collection, the 100 works featured in this exhibition, including previously unpublished paintings and drawings, represent the full scope of his work from a uniquely personal perspective.

Many of these—portraits of friends and family members and remembered scenes—have remained in the artist’s possession since their creation, while others he has bought back from collectors over the years because they mark significant developments in his career. For example, Still Life with a Mandolin, painted in 1957, was the first time Botero enlarged the volume of the musical instrument in a manner now identified as the artists’ own style.

“This exhibition is both thought-provoking and inspirational to audiences of all ages and is not only a show for those who appreciate modern and contemporary Latin American art. The intricate sculptures and paintings in this exhibition reflect Botero’s radical, unique and humorous style. From gigantic bronze sculptures to paintings, this exhibition is the perfect opportunity to experience Botero’s engaging and dramatic works.”

Botero’s exaggerated and rounded forms depict the comedy of human life – moving or wry, with mocking observation or with deep emotion. His first images draw upon the Spanish colonial baroque style, rich with decoration and flourish, gaudy angels and tormented saints. Some of the key works in the exhibition connect Botero’s own past with the present of his homeland, The exhibition also presents a section on everyday life in South America: women observed in the intimacy of their boudoir, street scenes, dance halls, and the suggestion of houses of ill repute.

Dates: May 1 through July 25, 2010 every Wednesday through Sunday.Location: Nevada Museum of Art, Donald W. Reynolds Center for the Visual Arts, E. L. Wiegand Gallery located at 160 West Liberty Street in downtown Reno.Cost: Museum members free; $10 adults; $8 students/seniors; $1 children 6 – 12; free for children five and under.

A Survey of Gee’s Bend Quilts at the Nevada Museum of Art – Not Your Grandmother’s Quilt

When you think of quilts you may not think of amazing works of art. However, the Survey of Gee’s Bend Quilts at the Nevada Museum of Art will definitely change your perception. The women of Gee’s Bend Alabama have been quilting as a way to keep their homes free from drafts and family members warm since the 1800s.

These talented quilters used old scraps of fabric from work clothes or pillows for example and transformed them into amazing quilts that have been heralded by the New York Times as pieces of Modern Art. The vibrant colors and varied textures make these quilts visually appealing and simply beautiful.

Walking through the exhibit evoked feelings of inspiration, perseverance and awe. To think that many of these women have overcome insurmountable challenges having no idea what ‘art’ is, but were creating magnificent works of art based on their intuition is simply astounding.

When I originally thought about going to see this exhibit, I was not too interested. After all, it’s a quilt. I can say that my opinion was drastically changed after seeing these pieces of art. If you are planning a trip to Reno and are looking for something unexpected that will open your mind and touch your heart, make time to visit A Survey of Gee’s Bend Quilts at the Nevada Museum of Art. I can assure you, you will not be disappointed. You may even become inspired to learn to quilt!

Painted nearly 500 years ago, Raphael’s La Donna Velata or La Velata (The Woman with the Veil) traveled nearly 6,000 miles across land and sea to get to Reno, Nev. – and wow, was it worth the trip!

One of only three American cities to be graced by her enchanting beauty, Reno proudly features the painting through March 21, 2010 at the Nevada Museum of Art and presented by the E.L. Wiegand Foundation’s Arte ITALIA. The attraction of the Woman can be explained in many ways: her idealized beauty and mysterious smile, the legend of the mistress believed to be the model for the image, and the sheer talent of the painter himself.

One of the most important – and certainly among the oldest – works of art to grace the Museum walls, Raphael’s The Woman with the Veil provides audiences of all ages a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a distinctive and renowned work by a High Renaissance master and contemporary of such icons as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

Three gallery spaces have been dedicated to showcase the single painting, including an interpretive area and screening room. Unique programming and guided tours are also available. The exhibition continues at Arte ITALIA, located at 442 Flint and California Ave., where additional information and film are on display.

Cost: FREE for Members / $10 adults / $8 seniors and students / $1 ages 6 to 12 years / FREE children under 5.

Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, late on Thursdays until 8 pm. Galleries, Museum Store and Café Musée are closed Mondays, Tuesdays and national holidays. For more information visit: www.NevadaArt.org

Reno-Tahoe is more than a basecamp for outdoor adventure or a hub for casino gaming. The region also boasts a rich history from its Native American roots to its foundation during the frontier days of the western expansion.

Today, ties to the past are reflected in many of the region’s 31 museums, while an active community of enthusiasts continues to position Reno-Tahoe on the cutting edge of art. Here’s a sample of the area’s diverse offerings:

Nevada Museum of Art
Divided into five focus areas, the permanent collection of the Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, consists of over 1,900 works of art organized around the general themes of land and environment. The museum also features traveling exhibitions.

Nevada State Museum
The Nevada State Museum, Carson City, engages diverse audiences in understanding and celebrating Nevada’s natural and cultural heritage. Exhibits include a replica walk-through mine and ghost town, the Carson City Mint, and Native American displays.

National Automobile Museum
The National Automobile Museum, Reno, displays approximately 175 cars, many of which came from gaming magnate William F. Harrah’s famous collection. The collection’s stars include the 1907 Thomas Flyer, winner of the 1908 New York to Paris race. Other vehicles appear in rotation on the museum’s “streets” in three galleries.

Fourth Ward School Museum
Abandoned to the elements, the Fourth Ward School, Virginia City, seemed doomed until it was resurrected in 1986, 50 years after the school closed its doors. Since that time hundreds of thousands of visitors have made their way to the school celebrate Virginia City’s glorious past as a frontier town during the gold and silver boom.

Wilbur D. May Museum
The Wilbur D. May Museum, Reno, features the accumulated trinkets and treasures from more than 30 trips and safaris the eccentric son of a department store magnate made in the 1920s and 1930s. Since May rarely collected just one of anything, cases are crammed with T’ang Dynasty animals and African masks; hundreds of Oriental miniatures, dozens of pistols and rifles. Gobelin tapestries and Navajo rugs are among objects decorating the walls.

Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada
The Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada, Carson City, is dedicated to providing education and entertainment to children ages 2 and up and families through exhibits and programs that focus on the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities.

Nevada State Railroad Museum
The Nevada State Railroad Museum, Carson City, preserves the railroad heritage of Nevada, including locomotives and cars of the famous Virginia and Truckee Railroad. Much of the museum equipment was obtained from Hollywood studios, where they were often featured in movies and television.
Museum activities consist of operation of historic railroad equipment, including train rides, handcar rides, lectures, an annual railroad history symposium, changing exhibits, and a variety of special events.

Click here for a complete Reno-Tahoe museum listings, or tell us about your favorite Reno-Tahoe museum in the comment section.

Now the Reno Chamber Orchestra has achieved another distinction as a genre powerhouse, selected to present the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Joseph Schwantner’s ‘Chasing Light…’

The performances will take place at the University of Nevada’s Nightingale Concert Hall on Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. ‘Chasing Light…’ was commissioned and will be performed by 58 orchestras in all 50 states through Ford Made in America, a partnership program of the League of American Orchestras, Meet the Composer, and the participating orchestras.

“We are honored to be the lead orchestra in the largest commissioning consortium in the history of American orchestras,” said Scott Faulkner, the orchestra’s executive director. “It is a rare honor for the RCO and a wonderful opportunity for our community to experience the birth of a piece of music by one of the world’s great composers.”

If you are able to make it to this opening performance of the orchestra’s 2008-2009 season, it is well worth the effort.

Recently I was able to visit the Artists Reception for Art Slaves 2008, a display of “anything goes” artwork, including; paintings, sculptures, mixed medium, fashion, photography and performance art.

The art and conversation was thought provoking, and meeting the artists was a blessing. I always enjoy talking to the artists to see what they were thinking when the created the pieces, and then comparing that to how I see them.

If you are interested in art, or want to see what several local artists have presented, please visit the Montage Gallery at 155 West Second Street in Reno, Nevada.